'You can speak your mind'

Sunday

Apr 1, 2007 at 1:06 AM

By Angela Mack, Staff Writer

Banners flaunting athletic excellence hovered over the heads of nearly 300 teens seated in Brogden Hall on Saturday.But talk of superiority in academics and life choices - not jumpshots and free throws - is what motivated high school students to spend their day at the Market Street gym.About 9 a.m., young ladies and men clad in urban apparel began arriving at Teen Summit II, a free event organized to provide open dialogue between local youth and adults."Everybody was talking about it," Shamika Chaney, an 18-year-old New Hanover High School senior, said about hearing her peers spread word about the event. "They were like, 'You can speak your mind.'●"Chaney woke up early Saturday to attend the summit for the first time. She left with many of her burning questions answered, she said.The six-hour event was hosted by Urban Promotions - a local group of young adults aimed at helping youth deal with social problems and bring awareness to local issues. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Coast 97.3 FM sponsored the summit.Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and state Sen. Julia Boseman, D-New Hanover, were present to speak words of encouragement.Conversation got intense and in-depth during "The Vent," a nearly two-hour question-and-answer session where teens heard the truth about issues they may experience in the future from guest panelists.Panelists included representatives from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, Cumulus Broadcasting News Director Rhonda Bellamy, locally born college students, local entertainers and other professionals.Topics included college life, homelessness, anger management, sex, respect, friendship, racial prejudice, MySpace, overcoming obstacles in life and the value of education.Learning ways to channel anger was a key issue raised by Urban Promotions CEO Brandon Hickman, also known as Coast 97.3 FM disc jockey Bigg B."Once we're upset, we're upset," said Hickman, who's also a teacher at Murray Middle School. "We're off the chain. We see this a lot in our schools."Jimmie Simmons, a panelist who's a lieutenant with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, told teens to learn how to forgive rather than hold grudges against others."You need to let it go," he said. "These days you fight and somebody may not go home."Melvin Goodwin, 25, a local rapper whose stage name is Lil' Wyze, gave a personal testimony about going to jail for six years after shooting someone during a robbery.The Washington, D.C., native is now trying to mend his broken relationship with his 6-year-old daughter."I almost took somebody life for some small change," he said in his rap lyrics. "I look inside myself for strength. … I gotta regroup and get it together."Former Atlanta resident Shawn Leonard, 16, is a sophomore defensive end on Hoggard High School's varsity football team. He wants to earn a football scholarship to college."A lot of people out there need help. Some people are dropping out of school," he said during a break at the summit.Wilmington resident Jennifer Brown, 18, a freshman business major at N.C. Central University in Durham, offered these words of advice to teens: "Don't go to college because you see everybody else going," she said. "If your heart's not in it, you're not going to be successful."Angela Mack: 343-2009angie.mack@starnewsonline.com